By KELLY TERPSTRA, Courier sports writer
June 30, 2008 05:36 pm
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OTTUMWA — Courtney Wagner had been here before.
The scene might have been changed, but the situation and the sun setting remained the same.
This time her Ottumwa Bulldog softball squad finished it the right way — with a win.
It could be a big one at that as Wagner’s savvy inside the pitcher’s circle and some timely plays concluded the Ottumwa Softball Classic on Saturday in winning style for head coach Frank Huston’s squad.
A day before, after learning they would have the first losing regular season in school history, Huston’s Bulldogs responded with two critical wins.
The last one — aided by Wagner — was the most impressive.
Wagner shut down sixth-ranked Keokuk in the classic’s final contest and Tricia Bix’s screaming liner to right field won it for Ottumwa in the bottom of the 13th inning by a score of 2-1.
Ottumwa also defeated Fairfield in the game prior to the 13-inning thriller, 4-3.
Pitching long into the night is something Wagner, a freshman, is getting accustomed to.
Wagner pitched 14 scoreless innings in a game versus Des Moines Roosevelt on June 9. The problem was the game was suspended due to darkness and no victor was declared with the score knotted at zeros.
“I was thinking, come on, I don’t want to go like this again,” said Wagner, about the prospect of not winning another extra-inning affair. “I was so nervous. I had to do everything in my power I could possibly to do so they didn’t get a run.”
Starting with the Roosevelt contest — which will be completed at Huston Field on Wednesday — Wagner has struck out 42 batters over 43 innings and allowed just three earned runs. Her fighting a bad back is as equally impressive as her prowess over hitters.
Wagner fanned 13 batters on Saturday versus the Chiefs and repeatedly got out of jam after jam in a game that worked its way into the shadows of the night that were fast approaching.
“First of all, Keokuk is highly rated and has a fine pitcher. For our pitcher to go out there and match her, that was very, very important,” said Huston.
Bix’s key blast, even though it was ruled an error, was huge. Keokuk sophomore hurler Hannah Washburn allowed just five hits all night.
The winning inning started with a free pass.
McKenzie Cason’s two-out walk gave Ottumwa life in the bottom of the 13th. She advanced to second on a wild pitch. Then Bix ripped a sinking and hooking line drive to deep right in a wind that was whipping and howling all day long. The Chiefs’ rightfielder could not come up with the ball as it bounced off her glove and Cason gleefully headed home.
It quite possibly could have been the win of the season after the heartache Huston’s squad has experienced this year.
Ottumwa (11-22) has lost 11 one-run games, the last one of those close setbacks came at the hands of eighth-ranked Sioux City North on Saturday. The Stars finished off a suspended game from classic action on Friday and won 2-1.
Wagner was part of incredible double play in the top of the 13th that could have gave Keokuk a huge advantage headed into the bottom of the frame.
With one out and runners on first and third, Wagner fielded a bunt, checked the runner at third and fired to first for the second out. Keokuk decided to roll the dice and head for home but Megan Bix’s throw beat the runner in a bang-bang play. The umpire signaled out and the inning was over.
The marathon game was a day after Ottumwa lost to third-ranked Albia at the classic on Friday in nine innings.
Ottumwa managed just two hits versus Fairfield starter Rachel Robinson, but took a 4-0 lead into the sixth inning. Fairfield rallied with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to cut it to a one-run Bulldog lead.
Sophomore Bulldog starter Courtney Klyn got out of the vice that was tightening with runners on first and second and one out in the final inning. She induced two popups to end the game.
Klyn struck out six batters and walked just one.
Ottumwa could very well see a similar scenario like the Keokuk game play out in its postseason regional contest versus 14th-ranked Oskaloosa this Saturday. It could happen again at sixth-ranked Muscatine in the next round. Don’t think it can’t happen in a possible regional final matchup against a third-ranked Burlington squad either.
Ottumwa is ready for the challenge, no matter how tough the opponent.
“Coach Huston was saying, when it comes regional time, we can beat any three of those teams. We’re a good team, we have just got unlucky with our one-run games,” said Bix, a senior third baseman that has played in two state tournaments for Ottumwa.
Ottumwa plays at Des Moines North at Grandview College today in CIML Metro doubleheader action.
No. 1 ranked Clear Creek-Amana defeated Cardinal 11-1 to start Saturday’s games. Former Comet hurler Michael Fligg had two doubles in the five-inning game for the Clippers.
North defeated Fairfield 5-3 in Game No. 8 of the classic. Erica Denny went 3-3 at the plate for the Stars.
North then topped Keokuk 2-0 as Alex Zeimet’s complete-game shutout was all it took for the squad up north to move to 3-0 in the classic.
North made it a perfect run through Huston’s classic in the suspended win versus Ottumwa that followed. All runs of the contest were scored in the first inning.
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